Combined pocketknife and pencil or pen



2 Sheets-Sheet l R. .J.l DODSON COMBINED POCKETKNIFE AND PENCIL OR PEN Filed Dec'. 6, 1937 Dec'. zo, 193s.

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Dec. 20, 1938. R. J. DoDsoN 2,141,061,

COMBINED POCKETKNIFE AND PENCIL OR PEN Filed Dec. 6, 1937 2 sheets-sheet .2A

@if @fy v E? 2] i J 47 Jw/ e@ 32 E/Q Q6 22X 53 Patented Dec. 20, 1938 p UNITED .STATES 2,141,061 COMBINED rooKETKNIFE AND1 PENCIL R PEN Richard J.`Dodson, Chicago, Ill. Application December 6, 1937, serial No. 178,325

6 Claims.

This. invention relates to improvements in pocket knives and hasspecial reference to pocket knives having blades arranged and adapted to be moved endwise into and vout of the knife casing or handle,

A special object of the invention is to provide av knife of the character mentioned in combination with a mechanical lead pencil, or a fountain pen, the two in each instance having a common case and the lead operating mechanism or pen part occupying one end of the case and the knife device occupyingthe otherend of the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pocket-knife of the kind disclosed in the U. S. Patent Number 1,853,672, issued April 12, 1932 to Alcada Dodson,v and improved, changed and modified to adapt'it to the provision of the cornbinations mentioned.

A feature of importance of the invention coinprises a novel knife structure by which the knife and case can be readily assembled for use without the necessity of providing any enlargements of the blade operating slot in the outer covering or outer shell of the handle or case.

Further beneficial features and improvements of importance will become clear from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification and in which there is disclosed a preferred form of the invention. It should be understood that such portrayed form is typical merely Aof the principle of the invention and should not limit the protection accruing through this application except within the scope of said claims.

in said drawingsz- Fig. l is a side View of a combination pocket knife and pencil embodying the invention in one form, the knife blade being in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a. view similar to Fig. 1, showing the knife 'combined with a fountain peni Fig. 3 is a side View of the tubular casing of the combined pencil and'knife devices the outer casing being removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, central, longitudinal sectional view taken on the line d--d of Fig. 1, the knife blade being shown in extended position in full lines and in withdrawn position in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, the knife blade being shown Withdrawn into the case;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side View of the end of the tubular case through which the knife blade is projected for use;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 .are enlarged, transverse sectional views on the lines '1 -1; 8-8and 9-9respectively of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, transverse sectional View on the line illloof Figs. 1 and6.

Fig. 11 is an, enlarged transverse section on the Fig. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal section similar to Fig. 5,` for more clearly showing the circumferential interlocking of the several parts; and

Fig. 15 is 4an enlarged, transverse section on the line I 5-I5 of Fig. 4.

The device, as portrayed in the drawings, comprises an outer tubular cover or casing 20, preferably made of a pyralin or some similar material, an inner metal tube 2|, fitting closely within the outer casing, and which inner tube may extend beyond the outer casing at least at one end as `shown at 22. The opposite end of the inner tubeis formed in accordance with the requirement of providinga magazine pencil as. indicated at 23 ora fountain pen as indicated at 24.

At the end opposite to the pen or pencil, the inner tube 2| is formed'to contain a knife mechanism so arranged that a knife blade 25 can be housed within the casing as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, or projected therefrom as shown in full linesin Fig. 4.

This knife mechanism comprises a relatively short tubular member 26 which is somewhat rectangular in cross-section having two opposite sides 21 and 28 which are cylindrical shaped and of a size to fit snugly Within Vthe cylindrical inner tube 2l and two alternate and oppositely disposed viiattened sides 29 and3ll, the functions of which will be. explained later.

The tubular member 26 is preferably formed up out of sheet metal. It is sol formed that the seam or joint 3| is located in the rounded side 2l and extends longitudinally thereof from end to end.

- Extending from a point near to the inner end of the. member 26 the' joint`3| is widened to form a longitudinal slot 32.

The tubular case 2| is provided with a longitudinal slot 33 which registers with the slot 32 when the two f parts are properly assembled and the outer case is 'provided with a similar registering slot 34.

For the purpose of moving the knife blade in and out it is provided, adjacent to its inner or base end, with a, rigid projection 35 `which extends out through the registering slots 32, 33 and v34 and is provided at its outer end with a flat head 36 which is larger indiameter than the width of said slots.

The projection 35 comprises a stud-'like member 31 which is screw-threaded to nt in a threaded hole in the` knife blade and isprovided with a rigid collar 38 which, when the stud is screwed hard into place, holds the stud against becoming loosened.

'I'he head 36 of the projection 35 is integral with a short stem 39 which projects through and can slide longitudinally in said registering slots. The inner end of the stem 39 is reduced to form a shoulder 48 and the reduced end is threaded into the outer end of the stud 31. The shoulder 48 serves to hold the outer part of the projection 35 from being inadvertently loosened once the parts are properly assembled.

The slot 32 in the knife casing 26 is enlarged at its two ends as best shown at 4| Fig. 12 and also at intermediate points as shown at 42 and the outer end of the collar 38 on the stud 31 is reduced in diameter as shown at 43, Fig. 8 to fit in these enlargements.

The base or inner end 44 of the knife blade ts fairly close edgewise between the flattened sides 29 and 30 of the knife tube 26 and can move up and down to some extent between the rounded sides 21 and 28 of said tube, that is, toward and from the slotted side of the casing.

The knife blade is normally held yieldingly pressed toward the said slotted side by a spring 45 which is in the form-of a flat spring, bowed up enough to fit between one side of the blade and the lower side 28 of the blade tube 26.

'I'he blade is pushed up by the spring 45 with sumcient force to make the outer end 43 of the stud 31 snap into the enlargements 4| or 42Vof the slot 32 when brought into registry therewith as the blade is moved longitudinally out or in. The spring 45 is held against being moved longitudinally when the blade is moved by the engagee ment of its end in small holes 46 in the lower wall 28 of the tube 26, the ends of the spring being pointed for this purpose. Y

The innerV end of the tube 26 is open and in assembling the knife blade with the tube 26, the stud 31 is rst screwed into the blade, the spring 45 is then pushed into the tube with its ends in the holes 46 and then the blade is pushed into the tube 26 through its open rear end, the spring 45 yielding sufficiently to permit the stud to enter the tube and the blade be pushed in until the stud snaps into one of the enlargements formed to receive its outer end.

As the inner tubular casing 2| is cylindrical in cross-section where the Ytube 26 ts therein I provide simple means for causing the accurate circumferential registration of the several slots 32, 33 and 34. This circumferential registering means comprises an interlocking member 41 which is arranged to circumferentially engage the outer casing 28, the inner tubular casing 2| and the knife tube 26. The outer end of this interlocking member, in one form may be formed to serve as a spring clip 48 to engage a pocket edge in the usual manner to retain the device in aV pocket.

As best shown in Figs. and 8, the inner end portion of the interlocking member 41 which is a relatively thin flat bar is bent radially inward as shown at 49 to pass through small radial, registering slots provided in the outer casing 28 and the inner tubular casing 2| and is then bent off at a right angle and in the opposit-e direction to the clip end 48 as shown at 58 and arranged to lie flat against the inner surface of the inner tubular member 2|. The member 41 lls the registering slots in the casing 28 and the tubular member through which it passes and thus cir-` cumferentially interlocks these two members.

The wall 38 of the knife tube'26 is formed to circumferentially interlock withthe inner end portion 58 of the interlocking member and is also the inner part 58 as shown in Fig. 5,Y of the interlocking member contacts with said tube and the outer opposed edges of the two slits are pressed slightly outward to engage the outer edges of the part 58 of the member 41, and thus circumferen- V tially interlock the knife tube with said member 41 and with the two tubes 28 and 2 I. In addition to this, the part 5,2 of the knife tube 26 which lies between the two slits 5| is slightly bowed outwardly both circumferentially and longitudinally as shown in Figs. 11 and 14 so that it binds the part 58 tightly between the inner surface of the tube 2| and said formed out portion 52 of the knife tube.

The arrangement is such that after the interlocking member 41 has been assembled with the two tubes 28 and 2| as described, hereinbefore, the knife tube with the knife blade assembled therewith can be pushedV endwise into the end portion of the tube .2|. In this action the knife tube can be pushed in fairly easily until it has nearly reached its normal position and then the further insertion yof the knife tube binds the interlocking part 58 of the interlocking member as has been described. It will be understood that the parts can likewise be readily taken apart.

Once the knife tube has been inserted into its position, its longitudinal Vslot 32 is in accurate registry with the slots 33 and 34 in the tubes 28 and 2| respectively, and the stud 31 can be seen through said slots. Preferably at the time of as sembly the stud 31 is in the innermost end enlargement 4| of the knife tube and in such position it is a simple matter to screw the operating part 35 into the outer end of the stud 31.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 2 the outer end of the circumferential locking member 41 is not forme-d into a'pocket clip but is merely bent down into contact with the casing. A pocket clip at this point would suspend thepen with the pen point hanging down which might cause the pen to leak ink.

It will be seen that in the nished' article, by the construction described, the registering slots in which the knife operating member 35 moves back and forth is just a plain, straight narrow slot without any unsightly enlargements, as the enlargements 48 and 4| of the slot 32 in the knife tube are all covered by the outer tubes.

It will be'seen that the joint 3| in the knife tube is at one flat side of the knife blade and that the ordinary use of the knife blade will not tend to strain or open said joint.

The outer end 53 of the knife tube projects somewhat beyond the outer end 54 of the inner tube 2|. I form said outer end portion 53 of the knife tube to bring the curved walls 21 and 28 thereof towards eachother close enough to fairly Y fit the base portion 44 of the knife blade so that when the blade is fully projected, as shown in full lines Fig. 4, the blade will be held fairly tightly sidewise. In forming this end portion 53 inwardly as described, I remove some material from the flat si-des of the tube as shown at 55, Fig. 6, but I leave sufficient material at the edges of the slot thus formed particularly at the back edge fof the blade so that these edges can be formed in to provide a support for the back of the blade as shown at 56 to resist pressure which may be applied to the opposite edge of the blade, 1n use.

As shown in the drawings, while one end portion of the inner tube 2l is formed to provide space for the knife mechanism and to co-operate therewith, the opposite end may be formed to accommodate a pencil mechanism and that said end may be corrugated longitudinally to form storage spaces for leads as shown, at 51, Fig. 7. To cover the projecting end 22 of the inner tube 2| and also the projecting end portion 53 of the knife tube, I provide a removable hollow cap 56 as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1. To frictionally retain the cap 58 in place the projecting end 22 of the inner tube 2l is formed to provide two yielding tongues 59 which are formed outwardly slightly beyond the outer surface of the part 22 and are pressed inwardly when the capl 58 is forced over them.

As many modifications of the invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine the invention to the specific details of construction herein shown and described except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

l. In a knife of the kind described, a tubular casing, an inner tubular member arranged and adapted to be forced into said tubular casing from one end, said inner member being substantially rectangular in cross-section and with slightly rounded corners, two opposite sides at one end of said inner member cut away at one end and the alternate sides formed inwardly to provide a relatively thin slot at the end of said member, one of the sides of said inner member the free end portion of which is formed inwardly provided with a central longitudinal slot, a knife blade within said inner member, said tubular casing provided with a similar longitudinal slot registering with the slot in said inner member, a projection secured rigidly on one side of the blade adjacent to its inner end, a blade moving member projecting out from and secured in said projection and having a shank portion adapted to pass through and move freely along said longitudinal slots, the slot in the inner member being enlarged at intervals and the outer end of said projection arranged and adapted to enter said enlargements and lock the blade against longitudinal movement in said inner member, a spring within said inner member arranged and adapted to yieldingly force the blade toward the slotted wall of said inner member, the arrangement being such that the outer end of said projection is adapted to be forced into said enlargements of said slot when brought into registry therewith, and the inner end portion of said blade substantially fitting within said thin slot at the outer end of said inner member when the blade is projected sufficiently.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, the said outer end of said inner member being closed at the rear edge of the blade as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a knife of the kind described, a tubular casing, a knife blade, a second tube within which the blade is longitudinally movable, the second tube arranged within the casing and having a longitudinal slot in one side, a projection rigid with the blade, the slot having enlargements at intervals, the projection having an outer end which fits within said enlargements, the casing having a slot registering with the slot in the inner tube substantially equal in width with the slot in the inner tube, a blade operator having a shank passing through said slots and mounted rigidly in said projection, an enlarged head on the outer end of said shank, means in the inner tube yieldingly urging the blade to cause said projection to enter said enlargements, an outer cover casing tting upon said casing, the cover casing having a longitudinal slot registering with the slot in said casing, and a circumferential locking member, passing through openings in said casing and cover and having engagement with said inner tube and preventing relative circumferential movement of the three tubes.

4. In a knife of the kind described, a tubular casing, a knife blade, a second tube within which the blade is longitudinally movable, the second tube arranged within the casing and having a longitudinal slot in one side, a projection rigid with the blade, the slot having enlargements at intervals, the projection having an outer end which fits within said enlargements, the casing having a slot registering with the slot in the inner tube substantially equal in width with the slot in the inner tube, a blade operator having a shank passing through said slots and mounted rigidly in said projection, an enlarged head on the outer end of said shank, means in the `inner tube yieldingly urging the blade to cause said projection to enter said enlargements, an outer cover casing fitting upon said casing, the cover casing having a longitudinal slot registering with the slot in said casing, and a circumferential locking member, passing through openings in sai-d casing and cover casing and having engagement with said tube and preventing relative circumferential movement of the three tubes, said engagement with the inner tube comprising longitudinal shoulders on said inner tube between which the inner end portion of said locking member is received.

5. In a knife of the kind described, a tubular casing, a knife blade, a second tube within which the blade is longitudinally movable, the second tube arranged within the casing and having a longitudinal slot in one side, a projection rigid with the blade, the slot having enlargements at intervals, the projection having an outer end which fits within said enlargements, the casing having a slot registering with the slot in the inner tube substantially equal in width with the slot in the inner tube, a blade operator having a shank passing through said slots and mounted rigidly in said projection, an enlarged head on the outer end of said shank, means in the inner tube yieldingly urging the blade to cause said projection to enter said enlargements, a circumferential locking member passing through an opening in the casing the inner tube provided with circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending shoulders between which the inner end of said locking member is received, and the wall of the inner tube between said shoulders rounded out to bind said inner end of said locking member tightly against the inner surface of said casing.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, the outer end of the locking member formed to constitute a spring pocket clip.

RICHARD J. DODSON. 

